


Negative Effects

by Dazzledfirestar



Category: Avengers (Comics), Secret Avengers
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, Handwavy biochemistry, Implied Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-23
Updated: 2013-12-23
Packaged: 2018-01-02 13:58:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,225
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1057604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dazzledfirestar/pseuds/Dazzledfirestar
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When an AIM drug falls into a skeevy businessman's hands, one two woman team can handle it better than anyone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Negative Effects

**Author's Note:**

  * For [inkstain](https://archiveofourown.org/users/inkstain/gifts).



> Written for the MMLE exchange.

The elevator at least wasn’t bugged. That gave them 37 seconds to work out a plan before entering the room they’d been assigned. It wasn’t going to take much. “You take the bathroom, I’ll take the bedroom?” Bobbi looked over at her partner. The mission was bare bones and relied too heavily on other people’s reactions for her liking but with Natasha at her side, it might just work out.

Natasha nodded and switched on the device in her purse. Bobbi mirrored the move. If there was anything in the room, turning on a detector might set it off. Better to go in guns blazing. Well… high tech devices quietly doing what they’re supposed to without being picked up, anyway. But that didn’t have the same ring to it.

The ball going on several floors below them had been targeted as the point of contact. It’d been a bust with bad champagne and too many sleazy business types with delusions of grandeur and class. But their king and role model only showed for a few minutes. Long enough to ogle the token women—being her and Natasha and a few high priced call girls—and disappear back into his penthouse.

At least they knew they were in the right place. And they knew they had his attention. Apparently Mr. Merle Powell—when he wasn’t selling AIM’s latest toys to the highest bidder—had a bit of a weakness for pretty girls that liked girls. It wasn’t a hard part to play by any stretch of the imagination. But she and Natasha had been just flirty and suggestive enough to catch his eye and hold it. Bobbi could have sworn she heard the scumbag moan when Natasha’s hand landed on her ass just before he left.

The thing was Powell was paranoid. And he owned the hotel. So the idea that 90% of the place was bugged was not out of the question. The buzz against her hand as the doors opened and they stepped out into the hall confirmed it. Luckily, he was also a sexist pig who though the girls he ogled were too weak to be a threat. She swung Natasha around and pressed her to the door. To any camera, it would look like she was sucking happily on Natasha’s neck. “Bugs in the hall too. Guess the show’s starting early.”

“You know there is a chance we’d only have to fool inferred in the room…”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

Natasha laughed. It was a warm, throaty noise that any mic could pick up and any idiot would assume meant Bobbi had whispered something extremely appealing or dirty in her ear. Natasha was an expert at playing it up, of course, but they had this act down pat. She had a sneaking suspicion that there was a pool back at HQ on whether or not it was an act. She’d promised Phil she’d hold out until his day came up though. But he had to split the money with her and he had to get a picture of Clint’s face when he found out.

~*~*~*~

“Normally we wouldn’t bother with this. Powell is a little below you’re pay grade.” Hill passed Morse and Romanov the files on the target. “But he’s into something big. Something that has world wide ramifications if it gets out.”

“Trafficking?” Bobbi read over the file in her hand quickly, pulling out what they’d need to know first and the details after. 

“Apparently he’s got ties to AIM now.”

They both turned as Natasha sighed. “So he can make ridiculous amounts of money selling whatever it is AIM wants off their magical little island.”

“Yes. Though why AIM is selling it and not using it themselves, I can’t be sure.” Maria pulled another set of files out of the folder in front of her. “The drug seems to target enhanced humans.”

“Like us.”

“And Rogers, possibly Banner but we don’t know the effects yet on someone like the Hulk. The Fantastic Four would likely be popular targets. Spider-Man, any number of vigilantes. Not to mention several of our ranks.”

“Johnson… Fury’s son…” Natasha waved her hand vaguely. “And Fury himself.”

“Among others.” Hill nodded. “Obviously this is a threat.”

Natasha mirrored the move. “Clearly. The question is why isn’t that threat coming from AIM directly?”

“We think the drug is unstable.”

“And AIM is run by a cache of super powered geniuses.” Bobbi sat back. “Makes sense. You’re still putting it in the hands of someone else who could use it against you, but their buyers would hit us first.”

“Giving them time to work out an antidote. Which would again fetch quite the price.” Natasha finished the thought for her.

Maria sat back and sighed. “Exactly. Probably long after most of our enhanced forces and allies are no longer viable.”

“What does it do to the targets, exactly?” Natasha leaned in, obviously interested.

Maria sighed and shook her head. “In cases where there’s a manifesting superpower… if that power is active…” Maria shook her head. “Let’s just say I hope nobody turns this shit on the Human Torch.”

“And what about everybody else?”

“People like you two and Rogers will go back to how you were before. We’re not sure how the aging factor will work though.” Maria turned to Natasha and shrugged. It seemed a helpless move. “You could just stay as you are without the enhancements or…”

“Suddenly my body will age out on me. Alright. I understand.” Natasha sat back again. “Where do we find him? Where is he holding the drug? And how do we get in?”

~*~*~*~*~

The scans of the room indeed showed a video feed, inferred and nothing else. No audio, thankfully. That certainly made plotting easier. Bobbi found herself pressed to the nearest wall, Natasha’s lips on her collarbone. It was the best way to cover anything said, after all. Nobody could read lips that well. “They’ll come to us.”

Bobbi flipped them around, heading toward the bed, kissing up Natasha’s throat. “Seems like a good idea. What’d the initial scan get?”

Natasha fell back, laughing for the camera. “You tell me.”

Bobbi smiled, slipping her hand under the strap of Natasha’s gown and palming the device tucked in the fabric. “Why don’t you go get cleaned up?” She kissed the tip of Natasha’s nose. If there hadn’t been cameras and a mission involved, she’d probably have gotten tackled for that. As it was, she’d likely pay for it later.

As Natasha slipped off the bed, Bobbi moved to her phone, casually situating herself so that the cameras wouldn’t see the screen. The intel on the chip was good. Natasha had turned it off once they entered the elevator so it wouldn’t set anything off but it had a read out on the location of AIM’s drug.

Right where they thought it’d be. The safe in Powell’s penthouse. As long as they’d gotten enough of his attention down stairs, they’d have a clear shot at him and the drug. Smooth sailing.

Assuming, of course, they’d garnered enough attention downstairs and on the cameras.

The knock at the door came as Natasha stepped out of the washroom; a silk robe tied at her waist, hiding what Bobbi knew had been under her gown. Pricey lingerie for the most part but that didn’t mean she wasn’t armed. Bobbi herself had her staves strapped to one thigh and she’d have to make sure to keep Powell on her other side, just in case his wandering hands wandered too far. If it even came to that. 

She nodded to Natasha and sat down at the desk next to the TV stand, flashing a large amount of thigh toward the door. Natasha smiled appreciatively and finally turned the doorknob at the second sharp knock. “Yes?”

The man in the doorway could not have been more obviously hired muscle if he tried. Right down to the cheap, ill fitted suit jacket that didn’t really cover the handgun in his shoulder holster. “The owner of the hotel would like you offer you ladies a drink in the penthouse.”

“Oh wow!” Bobbi grinned, putting on a mask of surprise.

“I’ll go get dressed then!” Natasha actually giggled which made Bobbi echo the sound.

“That won’t be necessary ladies.”

They exchanged what would likely read as a coy look. “I guess… if you say so.” Natasha shrugged, slipping her feet back into her heels and tightening her robe. “Do you want to…?”

“If you do.” It was all prearranged. All signals to show they were both ready for the fight.

Natasha smiled and held her hand out to Bobbi to pull her out of her chair. “Why not? You only live once, right?” _Let’s not waste time. The fight starts as soon as we’re through the door._ Bobbi nodded and they followed the goon to the private elevator at the end of the hall.

They flirted and giggled and did every expected easy girl thing some meathead would expect of them on the ride in the elevator. Natasha legitimately giggled when Bobbi gasped as the elevator doors opened. “Wow! How many doors does one person need?”

“Mr. Powell takes his security very seriously.” It didn’t look that way to either of them as the goon smiled and chuckled, waving them through another door.

There were three guards in the room with Mr. Powell. One on each entrance and one near the balcony. The hallway obviously led to a bedroom and likely an office. At least that was what their intel had said. All three guards looked bored and likely poorly trained. The man in charge clearly thought intimidation would get him further than good help.

Natasha smiled at Bobbi and slipped her hands into her pocket. Bobbi smiled back, one hand sliding down her thigh. She was well aware of the goon behind her tracking that hand but before he could register the stave her hand closed over and reach for his gun, she brought the weapon up and caught him in the throat, sending him choking to the floor.

Bobbi turned to see a small disc slip under the guy near the balcony. A moment later, there was a sizzle and he was twitching on the floor. Bobbi smiled. She loved those Widow’s bite discs

Powell was getting to his feet to help his last back up when Bobbi grabbed his shoulder, forcing him back down onto the couch. “Where’s the drug?”

“I’m not telling you sh—“ The word choked off as her stave pressed against his throat.

“This can go two ways. We can kick the shit out of you, trash the suite and find the drug anyway or you can save the suite and tell us now.”

“We are patient women.” Natasha walked in front of his, kicking his last goon out of her way and snapping her usual accessories in place. She pointed the bracer at the man. “I can tase you now and we can wait until you’re coherent again if you want.”

He clammed up and Bobbi shrugged her shoulders. “You got him? I’ll go check the office.”

Natasha’s smile likely would have made anyone nervous as she nodded. “I think we’ll be just fine right here. Won’t we Merle?”

Bobbi let up the pressure she had on his throat and let the intimation factor work for Natasha. She couldn’t quite help herself as she walked into the hall. “Play nice.” She winked at Natasha and headed into the office.

The safe wasn’t even hidden that well. She shifted the frames that hung on the wall and found it fast enough. It wasn’t even that well made. Once it was opened she took it upon herself to gather up some of Mr. Powell’s tax returns and business paperwork. Anything that looked like a tie to AIM went too. “Might as well get while the getting’s good.” She muttered to herself. The more they got on this scumbag, the longer he’d disappear for. Bobbi tucked her stave into its harness again and filled a folder with the best of the best before grabbing the vile and heading back out. 

“We’re good.” She nodded to Natasha. “Also if you don’t end up rotting in a SHIELD cell, I think the IRS might want a few words with you too.” She chuckled and nodded toward the window before tapping her comm. unit. “Ready for extraction.”

“T-five minutes.”

“Understood.” Natasha stepped back, her bracer still aimed at the man. Bobbi only caught a glimmer of the weapon before she dove over the arm of the couch. Powell must have had a power set they didn’t know about. No unenhanced human was that quick. She knew, she had the enhancements. But the weapon went off before she could disarm him and Natasha crumpled. “Shit…” She tapped her comm. again. “We have an asset down. I repeat asset down.”

“I’m fine.” Natasha groaned as she stood, but she wobbled. The Black Widow didn’t wobble unless it was part of an act. Her eyes narrowed on the man that was currently trying to get his hands free of Bobbi’s grip. “Incapacitate. I’m sure SHIELD has questions for him. We’ll take him along.”

“You don’t look okay…” Bobbi zip-tied his wrists together, hit the man over the head and got up. 

Natasha shook her off. “Am I aging unnaturally rapidly?”

“No.”

“Then I’m okay.”

Bobbi frowned and picked the weapon in question from it’s recently acquired spot on the floor. “I’ll work something out.”

“We have teams for that.”

“Are they as good as me?”

“Maybe… when was the last time you were in a lab?”

“Not that long ago.” She looked Natasha over. Aside from the wobbling, she seemed alright. The wound, if you could even call it that, had already stopped bleeding by the look of things. The sound of a helicopter outside the window pulled both their focus. “You first.”

“No.”

“Natasha, don’t even try to pull that tough chick Black Widow shit with me. Get in the fucking helicopter.” Both women stared each other down for longer than Bobbi was truly comfortable with. “Get in.” The words were clipped even as the team on the chopper came through the window to apprehend their target. “Wounded agents and assets are priority in extractions.”

“Don’t quote rules to me.”

“Then get on the fucking helicopter so I can get in a lab and get you back to 100%.”

“I’m not—“ Natasha didn’t get the sentence out before her eyes rolled back and she passed out.

“Sure you’re not.” Bobbi sighed and with a little help, got her in and on their way. “She’s been hit with the package contents.”

“Sci-division hasn’t figured it out yet.”

“They will. Because I’m going to help them.” Bobbi stared at the vile in her hand for a moment. “Can’t be any harder than figuring out the Super Solider serum, right?”

~*~*~*~*~

She was going cross eyed. She knew she needed to sleep but she was so close. Not like the last three times she’d been so close. This time felt real. Like it had in the lab with Wilma so long ago. She was close. If she could just…

“Bobbi. Go home. Go to bed. Find a couch. I don’t care where you go, just get some sleep before I’ve got two downed assets on my hands.”

“I’m fine.”

“Really?” Maria leaned against the lab bench. “You know how long you’ve been down here?”

“Ten hours?”

“Double that.”

“Oh.” Okay, she was willing to admit that might put a damper on her work, neo-super soldier or not. “Okay.”

“No more arguments? I think I like you when you’re sleep deprived.”

“No… I can’t focus anyway.” Bobbi pushed her stool back. “Don’t know if sleep is in the cards but I can try, I guess.”

“That’s the enthusiasm I was hoping for.” Maria shook her head. “How’s it coming?”

“Slowly. But I think I’ve almost got it.”

“Good. Make notes and get it later. Natasha’s stable. There are no ill effects that her training can’t cover for. She’s just complaining about a bit of an itch where the needle hit her…”

Bobbi sat up and stared at Maria. “An itch?”

“Yeah. Said it was like a spider bite. Sore, red, swollen, itchy. She’s been complaining about the irony of it. It’s in the report.” She put a folder down next to Bobbi’s elbow.

She must have looked manic as she flew through the medical report. “Why didn’t… I should… oh my God, that’s IT!” 

“What’s it? And I thought I told you—“ Bobbi couldn’t quite stop herself from kissing Maria mid sentence. This was it. This was the piece she’d been missing and sure if she’d bothered to look closer at the pile of reports nearby she probably would of figured it out anyway… maybe sleep was a good idea.

“Tell medical to give her an antihistamine for now. That’ll clear up some of the problems until I can formulate something a little more permanent than Benadryl for the rest of her life.” Her grin spread as she got back to work.

“Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

“You just helped me solve the puzzle, Director.”

“Good.” Maria stared for another moment. “And next time ask before you kiss somebody or I’ll send your ass to that sensitivity training course.”

“I’ve heard all about it.” She smirked. “Mostly from Clint.”

“I think he’s got a frequent flyer card now.” Maria shook her head again. “You’ll learn first hand though.”

“You got it, boss. Just let me work for now.”

“As you were. But you sleep after this!”

“Yes, ma’am.”

~*~*~*~

She didn’t remember falling asleep again but given the madness of SHIELD medical in any situation, that wasn’t entirely surprising. “What did they give me?”

She blinked to see Bobbi sitting nearby. “Allergy meds first. The anti-venom I whipped up after that. How are you feeling?”

Before she was fully aware, Bobbi tossed a stave at her. Her hand shot up and caught it before it connected and she smiled. “Like myself again.” She spun the weapon in her hand and smiled. “Anti-venom?”

“Good. And yes. The drug you were hit with behaved like a venom, a slow as fuck one but still. Attacked enhanced cells. I figured it was worth a shot.” Bobbi smirked and took the stave back before leaning in and kissing her lips. “And you’re welcome.”

“You did this?”

“I had some help. The kids at Sci-division are cute and occasionally helpful. And Maria.”

“Maria?”

“It’s a long, blurry story. I may have kissed her a little.”

“Well if that’s what it took…” Natasha couldn’t quite stop herself from laughing. 

Bobbi echoed the sound before kissing her again. “I’m glad you’re back. You’ll probably be tired for a few days. Nothing a good meal and a day off won’t cure though.”

“A day off.”

“Yeah, don’t say it like I just sentenced you to death or anything.”

“I hate days off.”

“Okay how about a day with me then.” Bobbi smirked and kissed her again. “Good meals, plenty of bed rest?”

“That… I may be amiable to.” Natasha’s smile grew wider as she pulled Bobbi down for another longer, deeper kiss. “Bed rest sounds especially helpful.”

“I thought so.”


End file.
